Tea and Cookies
by Beacon
Summary: Of all the jobs Zuko could land, it would have to be the one that least suited his character, or his figure... Being Santa in the mall during the holidays sucked... AU Zutara


AN: Hey guys! Well I've got the first of my two holiday fics done, not to mention I still have to write for some Secret Santa gifts of some different forums. Whee! Busy Christmas this year…

On another note, if anyone out there is an artist and would like to do a fanfiction, art exchange, please let me know, I would really enjoy that

Anywho, on with the story!

Disclaimer: pulls out piggy-bank and counts pennies Nope, not yet…

Tea and Cookies

"Don't laugh." Zuko ground through gritted teeth.

Katara blinked.

"Don't you dare."  
Katara pressed her lips to together and closed her eyes, a grin beginning to dominate her face.

"I mean it, laugh and I'm breaking up with you."

Katara couldn't stop herself anymore, one look at Zuko's face and she found herself rolling on the floor, tears of mirth running down her cheeks as she stared up at her boyfriend in a Santa suit.

A large Santa hat had been jammed on to his head, and the pom-pom at the end hung beside his face. The red and white jacket, three sizes too big had managed to make Zuko's white-gloved hands disappear into their depths. The pants sagged around his legs and to top it all off, half of his face had gone missing due to a huge shaggy white beard.

He regarded her coolly and then turned on his heel, storming into the back of the shop.

"Relationship over," he informed her over his shoulder. Katara still laughing scrambled after him.

"Wait, come on Zuko, wait." Katara giggled as she latched on to his arm and pulled him back. "I just can't believe you would be the one to sign up for the Santa job. It's so… unlike you."

"I didn't." Zuko growled as he furiously itched at his beard. "Uncle signed me up, and I didn't know until this morning." He sighed and collapsed into on the comfy chairs in the small teashop. "Jet took the liberty of informing me," he grumbled as he pulled off the hat and tossed it onto the table, "you can imagine how happy he was, and will you stop laughing?"

Katara dropped into the chair across from him and managed to quell her laughter for a bit, but she couldn't completely wipe the smile of her face. "I just can't get over the image of you and a bunch of little children, all of them waiting to sit on your lap. Hey this will be good practice for when we have-"

Zuko quickly covered Katara's mouth with his hand before she could finish her sentence. "This is not a 'us in the future' moment Katara," Zuko muttered. "And I am in no way excited about having a bunch of little brats all clambering to sit on my lap."

"You know," Katara said thoughtfully as she stood to retrieve the tea and cookies Iroh had brought out for them, sharing a wink with him about Zuko's new clothes, "It won't only be little children wanting to sit on your lap."

"Oh?" Zuko mumbled as he thankfully took a sip of the calming tea Katara handed to him.

"Yeah, once word gets out, every teenage girl who knows you is going to want to get the chance to be on your lap." Katara remarked off handedly, though Zuko detected a bit of a growl creeping into her voice. Zuko smirked and feigned a look of innocence.

"Oh yeah? Like who?" He leaned forward with interest, enjoying the way Katara squirmed under his gaze.

"Like Song, Jin, Mai, Ty Lee, Yue, Suki even though she would never admit if to Sokka, even Toph maybe, though she might only do that to annoy me." Katara sulked, and Zuko balked at the number of girls. Sure, he had known that Song, Jin and Mai had liked him in the past, but he hadn't thought that Sokka's followers would have also been interested him. The boy who worked in the REI store would flip if he knew. Not to mention he still wasn't completely accepting of Zuko dating his baby sister. He shuddered at thought of what Sokka might do.

"Well," Zuko smiled a bit at Katara, "if all those girls are going to want to sit on my lap, I guess I'm going to need some practice." He pushed his chair back and motioned for Katara to sit. Katara looked at him in surprise and a mischievous spark lit her eyes. Quick as a flash, Katara had seated herself in Zuko's lap and curled herself up into his chest, the scratchy material of his Santa suit rubbing against her cheek.

"So little girl," Zuko purred into her ear, his fake beard tickling her neck, "what do you want for Christmas?"

Katara lifted herself and kissed him through the scratchy hair that adorned his face.

"You," she whispered.


End file.
